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Erdogan Says Turkey Will Delay Assault on Kurds and ISIS in Syria Erdogan Says Turkey Will Delay Assault on Kurds and ISIS in Syria
(about 5 hours later)
Turkey has postponed a military offensive in northeastern Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, citing conversations with President Trump and other American officials, but he added that it would eventually follow through on plans for an assault on Kurdish and Islamic State forces there.Turkey has postponed a military offensive in northeastern Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, citing conversations with President Trump and other American officials, but he added that it would eventually follow through on plans for an assault on Kurdish and Islamic State forces there.
Turkish officials said publicly last week that the country was a few days away from beginning an invasion of Syria to attack the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the United States’ closest ally in the complex and devastating Syrian civil war.Turkish officials said publicly last week that the country was a few days away from beginning an invasion of Syria to attack the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the United States’ closest ally in the complex and devastating Syrian civil war.
That raised the prospect of an accidental clash between American forces working with the Kurdish-led group and Turkey, a fellow NATO member. But this week, Mr. Trump ordered the withdrawal of United States forces in Syria.That raised the prospect of an accidental clash between American forces working with the Kurdish-led group and Turkey, a fellow NATO member. But this week, Mr. Trump ordered the withdrawal of United States forces in Syria.
That delighted Turkey and the primary supporters of the Syrian government — Russia and Iran — while enraging Kurds and many American officials who saw it as abandoning a vulnerable ally. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced his resignation on Thursday, making clear that he opposed the Syria withdrawal, along with other presidential actions. That delighted Turkey and the primary supporters of the Syrian government — Russia and Iran — while enraging Kurds and many American officials who saw it as abandoning a vulnerable ally. Israeli officials also said Friday that they felt abandoned by the decision, which they said strengthens Iran’s hold on Syria and creates a strategic threat to Israel.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced his resignation on Thursday, making clear that he opposed the Syria withdrawal, along with other presidential actions.
On Friday, Mr. Erdogan, speaking at a meeting of business leaders in Istanbul, said that his talks with Mr. Trump, particularly a conversation they had a week earlier, had shown that they “share the same views on many issues about Syria.”On Friday, Mr. Erdogan, speaking at a meeting of business leaders in Istanbul, said that his talks with Mr. Trump, particularly a conversation they had a week earlier, had shown that they “share the same views on many issues about Syria.”
“The phone conversation we made with Trump, the contacts of our diplomacy and security units, and statements from the American side pushed us to wait for another while,” he said. But he warned, “This is not an open-ended waiting process.”“The phone conversation we made with Trump, the contacts of our diplomacy and security units, and statements from the American side pushed us to wait for another while,” he said. But he warned, “This is not an open-ended waiting process.”
The Syrian Democratic Forces is made up primarily of Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units, or Y.P.G. Turkey contends that the Y.P.G. is a front for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or P.K.K., a Kurdish insurgency in Turkey.The Syrian Democratic Forces is made up primarily of Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units, or Y.P.G. Turkey contends that the Y.P.G. is a front for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or P.K.K., a Kurdish insurgency in Turkey.
“In the upcoming months, on the ground in Syria, we will follow a style of incursion that eliminates both P.K.K.-Y.P.D. elements and remnants of Daesh,” Mr. Erdogan said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. “This should be known.”“In the upcoming months, on the ground in Syria, we will follow a style of incursion that eliminates both P.K.K.-Y.P.D. elements and remnants of Daesh,” Mr. Erdogan said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. “This should be known.”
Mr. Trump has said that the sole American national interest in Syria was to defeat the Islamic State terrorist group, also known as ISIS, not to hold President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and his government responsible for atrocities committed against the Syrian people. In announcing the withdrawal, Mr. Trump declared victory over the Islamic State, which once controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria, saying, “We have won against ISIS.”Mr. Trump has said that the sole American national interest in Syria was to defeat the Islamic State terrorist group, also known as ISIS, not to hold President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and his government responsible for atrocities committed against the Syrian people. In announcing the withdrawal, Mr. Trump declared victory over the Islamic State, which once controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria, saying, “We have won against ISIS.”
Western analysts say, in fact, that tens of thousands of former ISIS fighters are still active and have gone underground, and that the group still controls a small pocket of territory around the town of Hajin in eastern Syria, near the border with Iraq.Western analysts say, in fact, that tens of thousands of former ISIS fighters are still active and have gone underground, and that the group still controls a small pocket of territory around the town of Hajin in eastern Syria, near the border with Iraq.
“During the conversation we had with Trump, he asked us, ‘Can you clean up Daesh from there?’ ” Mr. Erdogan said. He said he responded: “We have cleaned up and we can clean up after today, too; just you provide us with necessary logistic support.” “During the conversation we had with Trump, he asked us, ‘Can you clean up Daesh from there?’” Mr. Erdogan said. He said he responded: “We have cleaned up and we can clean up after today, too; just you provide us with necessary logistic support.”
Leaders of the Kurdish forces this week discussed releasing 1,100 Islamic State fighters they hold prisoners, as well as more than 2,000 of the militants’ relatives, which could breathe new life into the group. It was not clear if the idea was meant as retaliation for the American withdrawal, but running prisons is a drain on resources the Kurdish-led group will want to marshal in preparation for any Turkish attack.Leaders of the Kurdish forces this week discussed releasing 1,100 Islamic State fighters they hold prisoners, as well as more than 2,000 of the militants’ relatives, which could breathe new life into the group. It was not clear if the idea was meant as retaliation for the American withdrawal, but running prisons is a drain on resources the Kurdish-led group will want to marshal in preparation for any Turkish attack.
Israeli intelligence officials said that they felt betrayed by the United States withdrawal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of Mr. Trump’s, has not publicly criticized the move but the intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it left Israel in a security lurch.
One official said the United States was practically evacuating the Middle East, leaving Russia as the sole global power there. The official said Israel feared that without an American presence, weapons would flow freely from Iran and Russia to Syria, and from Syria to Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy in Lebanon.
The official said Mr. Trump had effectively thrown Israel under the bus — and the bus in this case was a Russian Army transport truck transporting weapons to Syria and Hezbollah.
The timetable for removing United States forces has not been made clear. Mr. Trump also said this week that he would reduce American forces in Afghanistan.The timetable for removing United States forces has not been made clear. Mr. Trump also said this week that he would reduce American forces in Afghanistan.